Contingency plan eyed if China relations turn sour

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Manila Bulletin – Thu, Jun 5, 2014

The government is crafting contingency measures should tension between China and the Philippines ratchet up in the West Philippine Sea…………



A friend almost blurt into laughter when he saw this headline, then slowly it faded... and he shook his head in disbelief. His face turned a shallow but a painful smile, presumably triggered by aghast and frustration.


The Chinese invasion is characterized by threat and intimidation, occasions of direct assault on Philippine marine resources and nationals is becoming a norm, and it has been going on for years. The Chinese utilization of resources from the sovereign territory is continuing and becoming larger day by day. Now after all the years of Chinese occupation and rape of Philippine resources, here comes this  government pronouncement that finally, they are “eyeing” and about to craft a contingency plan if things get sour with China. It is much easier to dismiss the statement as a joke, but its effect is chilling and alarming. If the current situation is not sour or even tense by government standard, one will not be able to know what is. The fact is, the current situation is beyond just sourness and tension. There is an occupation and un-repulsed invasion and each passing day territorial rights are subverted to feed China’s ambition and arrogance. Yet and despite of the clear and present danger of losing all the territories, the fishing rights, the right of way, the right to explore and reap the benefit of its own marine resources, the government has find the gall to announce that it is now eyeing a contingency plan in case tension escalates. What they are saying is that there is no contingency plan ever since in the first place. Not even from the time that the executive branch had issued the Administrative Order naming the waters of the western Philippines as West Philippine Sea. From a military standpoint, if that is what they are referring to, not having any contingency plan from the start is even much worse. What on earth are they doing all these years?


One may understand the weakness of the Philippine military since it was the product of neglect that goes back to decades of mismanagement and corruption. It is the worse that could ever happen to a country that wanted peace, freedom and to be just left alone. But not having a contingency plan to compensate or partially offset the recognized deficiency in its defense capability only exacerbates the Philippine’s pathetic situation in relation to China’s invasion. The government’s inaction is irresponsible, its leadership unbecoming at this time of repression, when diligence becomes imperative, and when the state is in the brink of unwanted hostility with a a formidable aggressor.


My friend asked anxiously, maybe the contingency plan is about an orderly withdrawal? Well, if that is what it is, I humbly rest my case.

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